TECHNOLOGY
Japanese Combini Uses Overseas-Operated Avatars for Night Shifts
How do you keep combini in Japan operating 24 hours a day during a labor shortage? Lawson thinks it has the answer.
combini
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TECHNOLOGY
FOOD
Family Mart Says Cute “Save Me!” Onigiri Mascot Reduced Food Loss
Combini chain Family Mart wanted to reduce food loss in its stores. So it did the most Japan thing ever: it created…
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
FamilyMart Will Give Over 10K Famichiki Away as School Lunches
Deck the school halls with Famichiki? FamilyMart is making headlines today with its announcement of a very Japanese Christmas-themed giveaway, as it…
FOOD
Would You Drink Mayonnaise? Japan Reacts to Lawson’s New Product
You may love mayonnaise. But would you DRINK mayonnaise? The verdict is in as Japanese users have been trying Lawson's new "drinkable…
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Port Store: When a Japanese Combini Isn’t a Combini
Ever seen a combini in Tokyo that looks sorta...fake? Congratulations - you've found a port store. Here's why some Lawson and Family…
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Will Eat-in Spaces in Japan’s Combini Disappear?
There's no eating in the convenience store! At least, not anymore. FamilyMart has announced it'll shutter around a third of its eat-in…
SOCIETY
Why More Japanese Service Employees Are Hiding Their Names
A rising awareness of customer harassment and stalking in Japan means more employees are hiding their identities.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Have South Korean Convenience Stores Eclipsed Japan’s Combini?
Korean convenience stores now outnumber Japanese ones per capita. But what’s behind their success, and what makes them different? We look at…